What Hope Brings
by PinkPixie5
Summary: On Harry's sixteenth birthday he gets a letter from a Grandfather he never knew and his life changes forever. He's no longer a human, he's no longer fighting for Dumbledore and he's finally getting the truth about everything. /Elf Harry/
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One: The Truth Comes Out

Harry

Harry stared at the peeling paint on the ceiling for the hundredth time that day. It was a month into the summer holidays and the night before Harry Potters sixteenth birthday. Six weeks ago Harry had rushed to the Ministry of Magic to save his godfather. Six weeks ago Sirius had died and he had been possessed by Voldemort and he had been told about the prophecy. Since then he had spent his days staring at the ceiling, beginning letters he never finished and obsessing over how he was going to defeat Voldemort.

He had received dozens of letters from his friends since leaving Hogwarts. None of them had been replied to. All they contained were pity, pity and sympathy. The last two things he needed right now. Dumbledore had told him about his destiny, or rather his doom as he liked to think of it and now all he wanted to do was get it over with. He needed someone to understand, someone to help him come up with a plan. Not to be told to 'Sit tight and let Dumbledore deal with it". And how exactly was Dumbledore dealing with it? He'd really like to know. This summer was shaping up to be just as frustrating as the last. Once again everyone else seemed to be being kept in the loop except him and Dumbledore still didn't seem to trust him.

The light outside had faded hours ago so Harry flicked his battered lamp on as he lent against the windowsill. Looking out across the street he gave a sigh of defeat. Every year he waited till midnight to see his birthday in. It used to just be to reassure himself that he'd made it another year. Despite the bully's and the hatred from Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon. Since starting Hogwarts the ritual had become even more important. For the first time he received letters and cards and presents on his birthday. Like normal people did. It was confirmation every year that there were people out there that cared about him. But this year there was one less. This year there would be no letter from Sirius and no present messily wrapped up. And that was almost more than Harry could bare. This year he didn't want to be grateful for lasting another year, he almost wished that he had fallen through the veil with his godfather.

He was so lost in thought that when Hedwig swooped through the window he reared back in surprise and then scowled down at her. She clicked her beak back at him in that disapproving way that she's been doing all summer. She was carrying a letter and parcel on her leg, both with Hagrid's messy scrawl on it. Next came Pig with letters and gift from Ron and Hermione and following him Errol crashed through the window with gifts from Fred and George. Harry was halfway through opening a broom accessory case from Ron and Hermione when a forth owl flew in and landed on the desk. It was a large tawny which stood slightly away from the others. When Harry approached it, it held its leg out stiffly and flew away the moment Harry took the small box and note from it.

The letter was rolled up and sealed with a wax crest. A long star surround by six smaller ones. The same crest was stamped on the lid of the box. Curiously he broke the seal and rolled it out. The writing was long and elegant and the note brief.

My Dearest Harry,

Your Father was given this on his sixteenth birthday as a reminder of home. Now I give it to you as an introduction to yours.

Your Loving Grandfather

Harry stared at the note for a full five minutes without moving. Was this some sort of joke? How could he be holding a letter from his Grandfather. He had no living Grandfather. Dumbledore had told him he had no other living relative. That was why he was forced to live with the Dursley's year after year despite their blatant hatred for him and the neglect he'd suffered at their hands his entire childhood.

He turned to the small box and pulled off the lid with interest. Inside was a small stone. It was a deep emerald green, engraved in the top and set in silver was the same crest. He took it from the box and studied it more closely but it was just a stone. There was nothing else to it. He re-read the note again with a frown on his face. None of this made any sense. Harry had questioned Dumbledore about his family in his first year. When he had sat in front of the Mirror of Erised watching his family wave at him he had asked "Are there any of them left?" and Dumbledore had told him that he was the last. That he was alone.

Harry didn't know if this was some kind of joke or sick prank but one thing was for sure after Dumbledore's manipulation of him last year and stony silence this summer Harry could no longer trust him. It was clearer than ever in the past few weeks the lengths that Dumbledore was willing to go to in order to control Harry. "Sit tight" isn't something Harry was used to hearing from his friends, Dumbledore's influence was becoming more and more apparent in them. That left very few people for Harry to turn to. The Weasley's were too close to Dumbledore and everyone in the order of the phoenix were under his control. Except perhaps Remus. Sirius's best friend.

He scribbled a letter to Remus and then collapsed back onto the bed staring at the peeling paint again. Was it possible that he'd been lied too? Despite himself Harry started to feel hope that maybe he wasn't alone. He was torn between excitement and dread. He'd been given the hope of leaving the Dursley's once before. And the crushing disappointment when Sirius had to go back on the run had been agonising. Harry eventually fell asleep ten minutes before midnight clutching the stone in his hand.

Dumbledore

As Harry fell asleep thinking about the letter he had just received Albus Dumbledore was sat at his desk thinking about one he'd just received. It had arrived at the exact same time as Harry's. It had been delivered by the same kind of stern owl as Harry's and the seal had the same star crest on it. When it had arrived Dumbledore's face instantly became sombre. It had been a long time since that crest had been seen at Hogwarts. Fifteen years in fact. He pulled the letter from the owl's leg and gingerly opened it.

Dear Albus Dumbledore,

For fifteen years you have led me to believe my family was dead. My son and his family and my godson. Two months ago I received a letter from my Godson informing me of his false imprisonment and of your deception about his and Harry's death. At midnight tonight the concealing charm placed upon Harry at birth to hide his true identity will lift. I am taking my grandson back Mr Dumbledore. And then I will deal with you.

Sincerely,

Lord Elrond of Imladris

Dumbledore dropped the letter and leapt to his feet. He ran to the door with surprising deftness for a man of his age. Ripping it open he ran down the spiral staircase and within fifteen minutes was at the gate to Hogwarts. With a pop he had apparated and was stood outside of number four Privet Drive.

He unlocked the door with a hurried "Alohomora" and made his way up the stairs to the small bedroom that Harry Potter inhabited. Opening the door he stepped inside and immediately groaned. There were the two Weasley owls perched on the desk and presents strewn across the floor. The bed was ruffled like it had been slept in. But Harry Potter was gone.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter two: A Spot of Trouble

Harry

When Harry potter woke up on his sixteenth birthday he expected it to be like any other day this summer. He'd wake up, cook the Dursley's breakfast, clean their house and then go back to his room. He didn't expect to wake up to cold water dripping on his face. Especially when that water was dripping from a tree. A tee in a very large forest.

Harry wiped his face quickly and sat bolt upright. He was in the middle of a forest. As far as the eye could see there was no break in the trees, no path and definitely no other people. He was completely alone. He scrambled to his feet and as he did so something fell from his pocket to the floor. The green stone he'd received last night was on the floor at his feet. Frowning he picked it up and turned it over in his hands. This day was getting stranger and stranger.

Harry looked around and wondered what the hell to do. Since starting Hogwarts he'd been in some weird situations and for once he was happy about that. It had at least served to keep him calm in situations like this. He around slowly surveying his surroundings. This must be some sort of trap set up by Voldemort. The stone had clearly been some sort of portkey and perhaps the letter had been designed to set him off guard and let Voldemort catch him unawares. Harry sighed. Well he figured he had two options. Stay here and definitely get caught or move around and maybe avoid it. So he picked a direction and set off. Thankfully he had been too occupied last night to change and had slept fully clothed with his wand in his pocket. What he suddenly realised he didn't have was his glasses. He frowned and waved his hand in front of his face. He could definitely see. And he also definitely didn't have his glasses. So Voldemort had kidnaped him and dumped him in a random forest. And had also corrected his eyesight. This day was becoming more mental as it went on.

Harry had been walking for about five hours when he lost it. After five hours of seeing nothing but tree's he was getting more and more frustrated, It had started drizzling about two hours ago and now he was cold, wet and hungry. Suddenly spinning around he kicked a tree and then yelled into the trees "Come on then! Come and get me!" He stayed completely still for a few seconds waiting for something to happen for deatheaters to leap out at him. But the silence stretched on and Harry huffed in annoyance and slumped against the tree. He really wished he hadn't kicked it he thought as his foot gave a throb.

Harry had been sat against the tree for over an hour and the light was starting to fade when he heard something. A twig snapping as something moved across the forest floor. His head shot up and he took out his wand. "Lumos" He whispered. Nothing happened. "Lumos". Again nothing happened and Harry was now aware of my noise coming his way shuffling through the leaves and snapping twigs under their foot. Was it possible to take someone's magic away? In a blind panic Harry turned and ran.

In the darkness he couldn't go fast and he'd only made it a few steps before his foot caught on something and he went down. Suddenly a hand grabbed hold of his ankle. He heard a hiss, someone saying something in another language and then a laugh. He kicked out as hard as he could and his foot made contact with something. He heard a groan and then something heavy was on top of him grabbing a fistful of his hair and had a hand around his throat. The man's breath was sour and although Harry couldn't understand what he was saying he could gather it wasn't very nice.

"Get off! Get off!" Harry yelled.

"Shut up Mutt" So the man could speak English then. Harry didn't know whether to be relieved or not. Next thing he knew he'd been hoisted up onto the mans back. He kicked and punched and yelled as loud as he could but it didn't seem to make any difference. The guy smelt horrific. Like he'd been living in his own filth for weeks. Something was definitely off about all of this. What kind of deatheaters attacked with their fists rather than their wands? Or on their own? And for that matter why the hell wasn't his magic working?

The guy walked forwards for a few minutes and Harry realised they were approaching the sound of a crowd. He struggled some more but this guy was a lot stronger than him. Harry tried a different tactic,

"Who are you? Where are you from? Are you working for Voldemort? Heyyy" The guy didn't say anything but punched Harry's back in response. They came to a fire surrounded by men in no time and the guy dumped Harry on the ground who groaned as he landed heavily on his arm. Harry scrambled to his feet and took in his captors. And immediately recoiled in horror. What he initially had taken for men were in fact some sort of hideous creature. There were about twenty of them hanging around the fire. All were different shapes and sizes but all were hideous. Their skin was black and disfigured. Their features looked more like they'd been slapped on their faces by someone who only vaguely knew what a face was and the stench of filth and rotting flesh filled the entire camp.

Harry was absolutely horrified. What had he got himself into this time. The one that had dropped him onto the floor pushed him back over and started to tie him up with rope. Harry saw any chance he had of escaping disappearing fast. His initial horror had caused his to freeze and wasted his only chance to run. His captor shoved a foul tasting cloth into his mouth to act as a gag.

The creatures were yelling to each other across the fire. Harry looked more closely at them. There were some stood by the fire cooking but most were sat around sharpening painful looking weapons. Harry started to panic a bit more. He was going to die here. No one paid any attention to him as he sat in his ropes except to aim a kick his way whenever they walked past. His head was filled with different theories of what could have happened. Voldemort? This was the most likely one but what was his game? These clearly weren't death eaters but it would explain why he was still alive. Voldemort was very specific that he be the one to kill Harry. Or maybe this was some game of Dumbledore's. Or maybe he was just going mad.

After a few hours despite himself Harry allowed his eyes to close and his head drop down.

He jerked awake suddenly. The fire had burned low and Harry could only just make out the dark shapes of the creatures. Most were laying around though a few stood on the outskirts of the camp. Harry looked around and wondered what had woken him. Then he saw it. The body lay nearest to him. It was on it's back like all the all the others but there was no grunting noise of snoring coming nor could Harry see it's chest rising and falling. And through it's eye was a long white arrow.

Quickly harry looked around for who had shot it. Who even used arrows anyway He heard another thunk and a body falling and then swiftly more and more of the creatures on the outskirts started to fall. At some point one of the sleeping bodies woke up and realised what was happening. There was shouting and bodies running around crashing into each other and more and more were falling to the ground. It was complete chaos as they tried to hide from the arrows coming from above.

"Harry?" A hurried whisper came from next to him and Harry almost jumped a mile. He had never heard the man who had crept up beside him. If he was a man. He was beautiful, he had long dark hair a pale slender face and Harry couldn't help but notice strange pointed ears. He tried to reply but his voice was muffled on the gag and he tried to struggle against his bounds. The man pulled the cloth out of his mouth and hurriedly cut his ropes. He pulled him to his feet and started to pull him away from the fight.

"Who are you?" Harry hurriedly whispered. "Who are they? And where the hell am i?"

"Now isn't realy the time for explanations Tithen Cumnir."

"What?" whispered Harry totally confused. The man pulled Harry a little way into the trees to where a group of horses stood.

"Wait here" He instructed then leapt back towards the fight leaving Harry speechless. He was stood by a magnificent white horse and absentmindedly began to stroke it's back. He briefly considered running while he had the chance but this man seemed to be a friend and god only knew what else was out there in the forest. It wasn't long before the man came back leading a group of men all carrying bows and long knifes. They were dressed in dark green leggings and plain tunics. Behind his rescuer walked another who was identical. Twins thought Harry. Who were these people? He'd never seen muggles fight with weapons like this nor wizards to fight with anything but magic.

The twins swiftly both came to his side and the first barked out an order to the others in a language Harry couldn't understand. His twin rested his hand on Harry's shoulder.

"Are you ok Harry? Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine" Harry replied slowly. He had bumps and bruises but after all he'd had worse. "I'm just confused. I went to sleep in bed at home and woke up here in a bloody forest. What is going on and who are you?"

The twins broke into identical grins, "Ada will explain everything when we reach our home. For now all you need to know is your safe. My name is Elladan and this is Elrohir. We're your uncles.

Dumbledore

Back at Hogwarts Dumbledore had returned from Privet Drive. He'd lost Harry Potter. The single most important pawn in the fight against Voldemort. His only hope of beating that blasted man. He had to do something and quickly before Elrond undid all his hard work.

When Lily and James had died fifteen years ago he was disappointed naturally. But he had also seen an opportunity. Harry Potter was the key to beating Voldemort and now without parents he was Dumbledores to control. The only problem had been Elrond and the rest of James family. There was no way Elrond would allow his grandson to live in danger, wouldn't allow Dumbledore to control him. And so Dumbledore had lied. He had said Harry was dead along with Sirius Elronds godson. If Elrond had heard of Sirius's imprisonment he'd have come straight away and learnt of Harry's survival. He'd sent Harry to live with his muggle relatives. To be beaten down and hated so that when the time came to take him away from them he'd be looking for a saviour and a mentor. And there Dumbledore was ready to shape Harry's mind however he wanted.

But now this. Dumbledore could see he only had one option. If Harry Potter had a weakness it would be his foolish desire to be the hero. And Dumbledore could use that to his advantage. Pulling out his quill he quickly wrote two letters and signalled an owl over. One for Mr Weasley and one for Miss Granger. Harry potter would be his again if it was the last thing he did.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter three

Harry

"_I'm Elladan and this is Elrohir. We're your uncle's"_

Harry's entire body went numb. A grandfather he'd never heard of was enough to be dealing with. A grandfather and two uncles he'd never heard of; well that was too much to handle. He backed up until Elladan's hand fell from his shoulder. Both twins looked slightly concerned and glanced at each other.

"Are you ok?" Elrohir asked, "Elladan isn't the most sensitive person in middle earth. We know you don't know anything about us. But hey, we thought it'd be a nice surprise." He gave Harry an uneasy smile. "Our Ada.."

"Your grandfather" Interrupted Elladan.

"Yes your grandfather, will explain everything when reach our home. I know this must seem impossible for you. And you must be feeling scared and overwhelmed and it's difficult to trust us. But please will you come home with us?" Elrohir begged.

"We give you our word we will keep you safe" Elladan added imploringly.

Harry took a deep breath. He didn't trust these people. Not fully anyway. They didn't feel evil but he had only met them about an hour ago to be fair. But they had saved him from those creatures and Harry realised they were all mounted and armed. If he tried to run and they didn't have good intentions, well they'd capture him within seconds anyway.

He looked at the two men warily, "Ok. But I'm going to need some answers before we get there. Like where the hell are we? And what were those things and most importantly why do your ears look like that?"

Both twins chuckled a little and then Elladan gave a whistle. "We'll talk on the way. It's a day's ride from here to our home Rivendell. You would have been closer when you arrived but we were held up getting to you. That orc party used to be twice the size it was when it captured you. Alas we left those alive in our haste to find you." At that moment the white horse that Harry had been stroking earlier came up behind Elladan and nudged him with his nose.

"This is Allo my horse. He will carry us back" As he said this he began hoisting Harry onto the horse's back. The horse was exceptionally patient with Harry's scrambled attempts to get on top. It was the first time he'd ever been on a horse and while he guessed it wasn't much different than riding a thestral he still didn't like the idea. The horse had on no reign and when Elladan hopped up behind him (With far more grace than he'd managed) all he had needed to do was utter a single command and the entire company moved forward.

Initially the company rode in silence through the forest and Harry guessed they were listening out for sounds of any more of the creatures that Harry thought he'd heard referred to as orcs. He was thinking about all that had happened in the last day. Or had it been longer than that? He might have a family, or he might not. If these people were telling the truth then everything he knew about his life was a lie. It would mean everyone he trusted had been lying to him and the people claiming to be his family had what? Abandoned him. He hadn't heard anything from them in the fifteen years since his parents had died.

"So" Said Harry breaking the silence "the answers I wanted? Where are we? I heard you mention middle earth before but I've never heard of it. Is that some part of the wizarding world?"

Harry looked across at Elrohir who was riding next to them. "It's a completely separate world to the wizarding one. In general our people do not mix and are very rarely in contact with one another. There are a select few ways to travel between our world and the one you've been living in but all are rarely used. There has only been one point in our history that we have truly mingled and that was during the first war against Voldemort. The threat he posed was to both worlds so we joined the fight.

Middle earth consists of many different realms and like the wizarding world there are many different species inhabiting it. However, we stay more secluded against each other. There are Orcs, the creatures that captured you today. They are dark creatures in league with goblins and trolls and such like. But there are also men and hobbits and dwarves. And of course us. The elves."

Harry listened intently to everything he was told with wonder, or distrust or maybe both. This sounded more like a fairy-tale than reality.

"And there's your answer to your last question. Our ears are like this because we are elves. And yours are now too in case you hadn't noticed. Your father was our brother and an elf as well. That makes you a half elf." Harry's mouth was hanging open in shock.

"Ro! You were meant to leave that part to Ada!" The twins bickered for a few minutes before Harry had wrapped his head around what he'd just been told enough to interrupt.

"Hey! If elves were a part in the war against Voldemort how come I've never heard of them?"

"Well after your father died it was decided the wizarding world was too dangerous for our kind and there was no longer any threat from Voldemort. Or so we were told. "

They fell into silence and before long Harry drifted off to sleep. It was dawn before Elladan nudged him awake. The company were gathered together at the top of a hill looking into a valley. All except Elrohir who was watching Harry with a smile. He nodded towards the valley and harry turned and looked down. Set within the valley and up into the stony sides of the valley was a small town. It as was one of the most beautiful looking places Harry had ever seen.

There were gardens spread throughout the small buildings and set within the middle of the valley was a huge house which reached out in all directions, "That's where we're going" Elladan said, "That's home Harry".

Dumbledore

The Weasley's house was in chaos. Dumbledore had arrived in the early hours of the morning and announced that Harry had run away. Since then half of the Order of the Phoenix had arrived and everyone was bustling around yelling at one another.

"Quiet please! Quiet" Professor Dumbledore stood in the crowded kitchen and called everyone to order, "Harry Potter is a very disturbed young man. It seems the recent stress of his godfather's death and burden of learning his role in this war has caused him a mental break. He has abandoned us to face the threat of He who must not be named alone. Now I must impress upon you all how important that we retrieve Mr Potter from wherever he may be. Seventeen years ago before his birth a prophecy was made naming Harry as the only one who could defeat He who must not be named. Kingsley and Tonk's, you must work with your contacts and resources at the ministry, Remus write to him and try to use your connection to his parents to talk him round. And Mr Weasley and Miss Granger, could you come with me please?"

Ron and Hermione stood swiftly and obediently followed their headmaster out into the garden. The group of people dispersed all looking angry and muttering to themselves. It seems most were blaming Harry and calling him a coward. When everyone had left only Remus, Tonk's, Fred and George were left. Remus was looking concerned and kept fidgeting with something in his pocket. Tonk's simply looked solemn and the twins were glaring at the table.

Fred looked up at the two older order members "You're not believing this bull are you?" Remus looked at Fred "Not for a second. Harry is in trouble" Remus looked out the window to where the headmaster was talking to Ron and Hermione and then he moved towards the table and took out an envelope from his pocket. "I received this yesterday. It's from Harry. Apparently he received a message from someone claiming to be his grandfather"

The other three looked at each other.

"Harry doesn't have a grandfather" Said George, "Does he?"

"Well isn't that the question of the hour. Lily's family are certainly dead. Her parents died in accident before she finished Hogwarts. James though…"

"James what?"

"Well the day James and Lily died Dumbledore reported a second attack on James family. His father and brothers and sister were reported dead. Sirius's brother as well. We had no reason to question him and we never heard from any of them so it made sense. James and Sirius. And Harry too. They aren't from our world. Sirius never believed they were dead and now I'm not sure either. "

The four of them sat in silence for a few moments. "We need to help him" Tonk's said quietly, "But if this is true that means we're going against Dumbledore.

"Well if it's him or Harry I'm choosing Harry" Fred declared standing up.

"Ok" Tonk's looked around paranoid "We need a plan but we can't talk anymore here. Not where Dumbledore could hear us."


End file.
